Top Riders Prepare For The British Open
Thursday, March 20, 2008
With over £150,000 of prize money on offer for the international classes at this year’s British Open Show Jumping Championships, it’s no wonder top show jumping names from the UK and abroad are making the journey to Birmingham’s NEC this April (3rd – 6th 2008). They will join equally accomplished eventers who will be competing on Friday and Saturday in the British Open Indoor Cross Country competitions.
International show jumpers, including the leading British riders and a host of foreign riders, have entered to compete over the course of four days for the richest single indoor class in British show jumping and the esteemed title of British Open Champion 2008. The 2008 British Open will also have the added attraction of witnessing all of the previous British Open Champions, Robert Whitaker (2003), Nick Skelton (2004), Robert Smith (2005 & 2006) and Jessica Kürten (2007), vying for this year’s title. Entered riders include:
British Riders
- John Whitaker
- Michael Whitaker
- Robert Whitaker
- Ellen Whitaker
- William Whitaker
- Tim Stockdale
- William Funnell
- Nick Skelton
- Robert Smith
- Guy Williams
Plus two wild cards from Addington Manor easibedplus Classic (28th – 30th March)
Foreign Riders (in order of their FEI world ranking)
- Markus Fuchs (2nd) (CHE)
- Jessica Kürten (4th) (IRE) – Reigning British Open Champion
- Christian Ahlman (6th) (GER)
- Jos Lansink (12th) (BEL)
- Dirk Demeersman (17th) (BEL)
- Beat Mandli (18th) (CHE)
- Daniel Deusser (19th) (GER)
- Luciana Diniz (20th) (POR)
- Leopold van Asten (35th) (NL)
- Helena Lundbäck (58th) (SWE)
- Heinrich Engemann (59th) (GER)
- Billy Twomey (83rd) (IRE)
- Geir Gulliksen (90th) (NOR)
- Maikel van der Vleuten (96th) (NL)
The British Open is a unique format with a Championship class each and every day including Saturday afternoon’s thrilling third round after which a ‘cut’ will be made where only the top twenty riders will go through to contest the British Open Final on Sunday.
A wide range of additional show jumping classes will be held over the four days including the International Accumulator on Friday afternoon and the ever-popular and breath-taking British Open Puissance on Saturday evening. The BEF World Class Development Programme will also provide two exciting classes for the country’s top young riders.
The British Open also hosts two fantastic Indoor Cross Country competitions which attracts some of the most famous names in the world of eventing. The Indoor Cross Country proved so popular at last year’s British Open that the organiser, Grandstand Event Management, announced that will be hosting an additional class at the 2008 Championships. The Indoor Cross Country Championship will now feature on the Friday evening (4th April) and a Power and Speed team competition, involving some of the British Open crowd’s favourite show jumpers, on the Saturday afternoon (5th April).
Eventers entered to compete include:
Eventers
- Dag Albert
- Jeanette Brakewell
- Sarah Cohen
- Laura Collett
- Emilie Chandler
- Georgie Davies
- Ruth Edge
- William Fox-Pitt
- Clayton Fredericks
- Pippa Funnell
- Ginny Howe
- Sharon Hunt
- Mark Kyle
- Bill Levett
- Andrew Nicholson
- Zara Phillips
- Matt Ryan
- Laura Shannon
- Georgie Spence
- Polly Stockton
- Oliver Townend
- Lucy Wiegersma
The British Open will also present a broad spectrum of equestrian entertainment such as exhilarating Scurry Racing, the UK’s highest goal indoor Arena Polo competition, Parelli Natural Horsemanship, high-speed Barrel Racing and a graceful freestyle to music Dressage Display by Daniel Timson. Headlining the entertainment, this year will see the return of movie stuntman, Daniel Naprous, and his team who will demonstrate their trademark daredevil tricks and aerobatics as well as a unique, choreographed equestrian drama created specially for the show.
The British Open Show Jumping Championships takes place at the NEC, Birmingham from Thursday 3rd – Sunday 6th April 2008. For tickets, call the Box Office on 08700 100 216 or visit the official website at http://www.britishopenshowjumping.com
